jeb

I didn't refer to it as a circus to be derogatory. I thought it was pretty cool.

Well, THAT'S interesting. I'd not heard that one. Maybe Cabela's will open a store down here too, if it's true. That'd be awesome! I used to live 40 minutes from one and practically lived there.

Yeah, some costs savings associated with the multiple tournaments in the same area is listed as a reason in the links in the first post. I just don't understand how that saves them any money. It's not like the events are several states apart. Oh well, it is what it is. I hope Ranger pulls through the Genmar bankruptcy. It'd be a shame to lose such a venerable brand! I almost bought one this spring locally, but the dealer was too busy to bother with us. It worked out for the best, though, since it made me step back and look at other brands, which lead me to find out what a great boat Skeeter builds, too.

I saw that on the local news a couple of weeks ago. They mentioned that because Rangers parent company (Genmar) was in backruptcy, they were trying to cut costs. I don't fully understand how the move does that, but it's what the news said. I'm surprised they're having the series at all, actually, given the apparent financial situation at Genmar. At any rate, it will be odd not having the FLW circus come to town next spring.

Thanks again. I have an all day fishing pass this Saturday, so I'll be on the lake early trying to get this technique figured out! Which brings up another question. Are the big jigs more of a "once the sun gets high and the fish go deep" thing, or can they be effective in the dark and/or low light conditions this time of year? I see you're in Holiday Island. We boated all the way through that area on Friday, and down the White quite a ways towards the darn. Pretty area. What is the story with that mansion type house on the hill between the old bridge and the new bridge?

Thanks. I'd seen the last link a couple of days ago while searching here for jigging info. But the big jig threads I've found so far talk more about what to throw than where to fish them, which is why I started this thread. I'm also trying to learn the drop shotting method as well, so that 2nd link was also very helpful!

I live just off Beaver Lake. I moved down here from MN a couple of years ago and am getting more and more into the serious fishing mode. I was a more serious fisherman up north many years ago, but found other interests over time. But fishing up north is very different than it is on southern impoundments. Much less rocky, usually shallower, lots of pads and grass to fish, etc. Up north, I tried plastic worms a lot but never really caught anything on them. Spinnerbait became my comfort bait, and worked really well for me. It's been just the opposite down here, with a finesse worm technique being by far my biggest producer. 1/8 - 3/16 horn shaped jig heads with 6" finesse worms in 15-25 feet of water usually fished very slowly do really well for me. I do throw some crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater, but I don't have the confidence or numbers of fish on any of those for them to become favorites. But with the summer heat here again, I've been wanting to learn a more reliable deeper water technique. The finesse jig/worm don't seem to work for me on deeper ledges, rock piles, channels, etc. I think it's because they take so long to get down there and I don't have good feel with them being so light. So I've been reading about bigger jigs (football, rubber skirted, rigged with craw/lizard trailers, etc) in the 1/2 oz and bigger sizes. I've been throwing them some lately but with limited success. Actually, I've never caught a fish on one yet, although I did get a hit on one at Table Rock last weekend. But I'm determined to figure them out this summer. I just read so many guys say "once you master it, it's a great deeper water producer" and also that it's versatile bait for like swimming and even shallower rock wall pitching, skipping under docs, etc. So I need to get over the hump on these lures. I'm using mostly G. Loomis poles with flourocarbon line. What general structure would be best for mid-summer fishing these bigger jigs? I've mostly been using them on points that drop from 15' or so into deeper water, 50'+. Casting them up shallow and working them down through the rocks. I've also tried vertical jigging sharper underwater drops or other deep structure. So any advice about how to make them more effective would be appreciated. Or any good books you'd recommend?